The Ministry of Defence has been ordered to pay nearly Â£190,000 today to a lesbian soldier who was sexually harassed by a male sergeant.

Lance Bombardier Kerry Fletcher, 32, will receive a total of Â£186,895.52 after she won her claims against the MoD for sex discrimination, victimisation and sexual harassment at an employment tribunal in Leeds.

Miss Fletcher's career collapsed as a result of the unnamed sergeant's actions while she worked at an Army stables in North Yorkshire.

The tribunal, in November last year, heard how the sergeant pestered openly gay Miss Fletcher for sex and sent her explicit text messages.

The soldier, who lives in Birmingham but is originally from Sheffield, said the sergeant and other male colleagues tried to destroy her career because she spurned his advances.

Miss Fletcher handed in her notice in February this year after serving in the Army for 10 years.

Her solicitor, John Mackenzie, told a hearing, held in Leeds in September, that his client's position within the Royal Artillery became "untenable" after she won her case against the MoD.

He said: "The claimant felt unable to continue to serve within the Royal Artillery because she felt she would continue to be victimised and discriminated against."

Mr Mackenzie continued: "The immediate consequence of the act of discrimination is that the claimant's career in the Royal Artillery has collapsed and it's the respondent's conduct that has caused this collapse."

Earlier this year, the MoD offered Miss Fletcher an apology for the conduct of the male sergeant.

Soldier breaks law.
Army refuses to take action, breaking law again.
Offended party takes it to court.
MoD attempt to defend the indefensible instead of settling.
Court loads damages because Army failed to take action and MoD defended a hopeless case instead of settling.

The outrage here is that the uniformed CoC who did nothing are still employed; and that the lawyer in the MoD who decided to fight it is still employed. FFS, if you break the law and take the p!ss out of the legal system you will get stung. Maybe the MoD should realise this.

Sgt Brown shouldn't have pestered her for a bonk - then she would not have been awarded the payout. when she spurned him his mates shouldn't have tried to destroy her career - then she wouldn't have been awarded the payout.

It is the fault of a randy SNCO and his bullying mates that she got this award, not the Tribunal or the girl concerned.

Well done that Lezzer! We'd all give her one, given half a chance or settle for just knocking one out while she's diddled by her 'friend'.

Comparing the sum she was awarded by the Tribunal to sums made 'volunterily' by MoD to injured/killed servicemen is a cnuts trick pure and simple and it is note worthy that the majority of her 'damages' were awarded to 'punish' MoD.

The Chain of Command and MoD have well and truely fcuked up from start to finish in this matter and they could quite as easily do it to the rest who recieve the Queen's Shilling!

Well done that Lezzer.

Oh, and well done the RA for making a show of the army once again! Ubique? Everywhere? More like all over the place